As someone who spent the first half of the year living with my parents while our house was being renovated (that was me, my other half, the kids and the dog living with my parents by the way), I am madly head-over-heels in love with our home again now that we are back in it.
There is a lot of stuff still going on in terms of putting it all back together - we are still without curtains OR any idea what to do with the attic now that we have it converted but we'll get there.
In the meantime, we're just dealing with the areas that we CAN deal with - keeping the laundry going, furnishing the bedrooms and making sure that the gardens get cleaned up good and fast so that the kids have somewhere safe to play outdoors.
But it still doesn't stop me from dreaming that it is all perfect, magazine or surprise-interiors-magazine-editor-dropping-into-scout-for-their-next-cover ready.
It's not and I'm sure it never will be but in the meantime, I just love these cool cleaning tips that I can get on board with while I'm having those daydreams:
1. Quick Dry
If you have a full machine of damp clothes to dry in a hurry, throw in a dry towel to the mix and that will do the trick.
2. Silver For The Win
If you want to polish up your cutlery for an upcoming dinner party or gathering at your home, get the toothpaste out (but not ones that contain whiteners). Just dampen the silverware, rub a small amount of toothpaste on the stained area with your finger and wash it off with warm water. Voila!
3. Dishwasher Love
Get into the habit of regularly running a wash through your dishwasher without dirty dishes in it. Remove the spray arms and thoroughly rinse them out, pull out and clean the filter at the bottom of the machine to get rid of any food particles and then pour several cups of household vinegar into the bottom before running a cycle.
4. When Life Gives You Lemons
If there has been an explosion in your microwave (baked beans, anyone?!), squeeze the juice from a lemon into a bowl with a cup of water. Turn the microwave to max power for 5-10 minutes. The steam from the water will loosen up the dirt and the lemon will make it smell nice again. Carefully remove the bowl and use a damp cloth to remove the loosened dirt inside.
5. Queen of Tartar
Use Cream of Tartar to shine up any stainless steel countertops - it's the best, chemical-free way. Just rub on with a damp sponge and remove with a tea towel.
6. One For The Mums
Use Play-doh to clean up all those crazy glitter spills. Just get a ball of it and roll it over any impossible-to-pick-up glitter spills. It will stick to it perfectly for you - simples!
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